


Christmas Miracles

by Kerkerian



Category: Hawaii Five-0 (2010)
Genre: Aftermath, Bit of Fluff, Caring Steve, Christmas, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Episode: s08e11 Oni Kalalea Ke Ku A Ka La'au Loa (A Tall Tree Stands Above the Others), Fix-It, Gen, Missing scenes (sort of), mcdanno, slight angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-01
Updated: 2018-05-01
Packaged: 2019-04-30 19:19:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,754
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14503755
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kerkerian/pseuds/Kerkerian
Summary: Steve checks in on Danno on Christmas Eve, just as he did on all the other days before.





	Christmas Miracles

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: Sadly, I don't own Five-0.
> 
> I wasn't too happy with the Christmas episode, therefore I wrote this. It's got the standard measure of canon McDanno this time. Feel free to squint however. =)

 

Steve silently lets himself into the house with the spare key Danny has given him after he moved in and pauses, his whole body tense; he only relaxes when he hears faint voices, probably from Charlie's room. He can't help himself in this regard, he's constantly worried about his partner these days. Even after all they've been through over the years, alone or together, this latest trauma somehow hit closer to home than ever before, at least that's what it feels like.

Steve looks at Danny these days and sees a fragility which he only rarely noticed before, even though Danny tells him he's fine. And for the sake of his own mind, Steve believes him, even though he is aware how the term 'fine' covers everything from “leave me alone so I can die in peace' to 'I'm actually doing okay'. In any case he is determined to never ever let anything happen to his best friend again, therefore he's been checking in on him every day: first at the hospital, then at home.

While Danny was adamant that he could manage on his own and didn't need to be coddled when Steve took him home on the day of his release (which Steve found interesting because it was what Danny usually did to him after his own scrapes), he was white-faced and shaking after walking the short distance from the car and into the house, effectively busting his act.

So Steve took him by the arm and steered him all the way to the bedroom, and Danny ranted all the way to the bedroom but let himself be steered nevertheless, and if he leaned into the support a little bit Steve had probably imagined it because Danny was just peachy and didn't need a nurse, as previously established. He did appreciate the freshly made bed and the water on the nightstand though, and if his eyes were a bit moist, it was from the exertion just now. And yes, he did love Steve back, in case he hadn't made that clear before.

After he had lain down, he dozed off in record time, and Steve belligerently tucked him in just because it felt right and he could. He also sat on the mattress and watched Danny for a bit, just to make sure everything was okay, and if his own hands were trembling ever so slightly, he couldn't do anything about it.

 

Steve also helped his partner to decorate the house for Christmas since Danny's too stubborn for his own good and insisted that another measly near-death experience was not going to keep him from making everything perfect for the kids, especially not when Charlie's going to spend Christmas Eve with him.

Which Steve is glad about, since Grace is at a party with Will. Rachel and Danny didn't have it in their hearts to deny her this, so Rachel is going to bring her over in the morning. Steve knows that Danny, no matter how much he likes Will, secretly is a little bit jealous and of course can't stop himself from worrying because it's what he does. Well, to be fair: the infamous winter formal comes to mind.

So Steve thought he'd better make sure his partner's okay, and now he's here, standing in Danny's cozy living room, and wonders where that heavenly scent is coming from. He looks around and spots the cookies which have obviously been left out for Santa. Sniffing again, Steve walks into the kitchen and finds the rest of the batch, still sitting on the baking sheet. He picks one up and takes a bite, almost moaning with pleasure because they're so good. He puts a few on a plate, pours himself a glass of milk and returns to the living room, where he sits down on the couch to wait for Danny.

When he still hasn't made an appearance twenty minutes later, Steve goes to investigate and finds him asleep in the racing car bed, with Charlie snuggled up against him, a stuffed donkey squished between them. While Steve's stomach unclenches, his heart swells at the sight. And he's amused, too, that Danny actually fits into the bed. Grinning to himself, turns off the lights and leaves the room, feeling inexplicably content.

 

“Uncle Steve!”

Someone is trying to wake him. Steve blinks, confused until he recognizes Charlie, still in his pajamas, who is shaking Steve's arm.

Immediately, Steve's alarmed: “Hey, Charlie- is something wrong with Danno?”

“No, he's still asleep. What are you doing here, Uncle Steve?"

"I came to see if everything was alright, but you and Danno were already asleep. And because I was very tired, I fell asleep as well."

"Did you hear Santa?"

"No, I didn't. He must have been very quiet. Do you think he was here at all?"

"Yes, look! The cookies are gone!” Charlie points at the empty plate.

"Oh, wow."

Steve's relieved not only that Danny's okay but also that he's had the good sense to wake him, if with some regret, because Danny hadn't taken his meds yet that evening (Yes, Steve checked. And if Danny was going to call him an overbearing nurse for that, he could live with it.).

Therefore Steve had taken a glass of water and the pills into Charlie's room and had put a gentle hand on Danny's shoulder, whispering his name because he didn't want to rouse the little boy, until Danny woke up. He looked at Steve drowsily: “What're you doing here, Babe?”

“Making sure you're taking your meds,” Steve had replied airily, though his heart had constricted at the sight of Danny all befuddled and lovely: how could he ever have lived without him?

Danny grumbled something under his breath, took the pills and settled down again; he wasn't overly surprised about Steve's presence, after all. But then he opened his eyes once more: “Santa's cookies,” he muttered.

“On it,” Steve said after a moment of comprehension.

Danny closed his eyes:“Thanks.”

“Good night, Danno,” Steve whispered, at which Danny hummed a reply which sounded a lot like 'love you'.

Steve gently stroked over his partner's cheek with the back of his fingers once, then he got to his feet and went to take care of the cookies.

 

He isn't sure if he'd have thought of it himself, but the joy on Charlie's face distracts him from these musings.

“It's still really early,” Steve says, “so I think Danno will sleep some more and we should probably wait for Gracie as well, but how about we have a look at the presents? I'm sure there's at least one which you're allowed to open right away.”

At that, Charlie's face lights up even more. Steve surreptitiously steers him towards the packages he's put under the tree himself last night, and Charlie unwraps a Lego Coast Guard Helicopter completely with lighthouse and shark. Charlie's beside himself with excitement, and they immediately open the box to put it together.

 

It takes about an hour to assemble the helo, and Steve marvels at Charlie's patience and skill. When they're done, he picks up one of the pilots: “Is this an angel as well, Uncle Steve?”

“An angel?” Steve asks, surprised.

Charlie nods, his face dead serious: “Danno told me a story yesterday. It had angels in it. They were...” He pauses, trying to remember the right word. “Vettrens.”

“Veterans?”

“Yeah. They were helping you to arrest some bad guys who had dressed up as Santa.”

Steve subdues a grin: “They did? And I was in it as well? Did we succeed?”

“Yes! And you're a hero, Danno said so.”

Steve's heart is swelling again. He smiles: “Your dad's a hero, too, in case you didn't know.”

“I know.” Charlie nods, and Steve wonders how much he really knows about their job; the kid is very perceptive, after all.

Charlie now lifts up the Lego pilot: “So is he an angel?”

“He could be. Everyone who helps saving people probably is, wouldn't you think?”

“Then you're an angel as well, and Danno too.”

“I'm not so sure about that.” Danny is smiling as he comes in, looking tousled.

“Danno!” Charlie gets to his feet and hugs Danny: “Merry Christmas!”

“Merry Christmas, Squirrel,” Danny replies softly, holding on to the little boy for a moment. Then, Charlie runs back to Steve and his present: “Look what Santa brought me! And he ate the cookies!”

“Oh wow, that's very cool.” Danny admires the helicopter and everything it can do before he motions for Steve to get up.

“I'll be right back, Buddy,” Steve tells Charlie, getting to his feet: “Merry Christmas, Danno,” he says with a small smile.

Danny simply closes the distance between them and winds his arms around his partner, holding on to him as tightly as he did with Charlie: “Merry Christmas, Babe,” he eventually says, and if he sounds a little choked, that's alright, because Steve's eyes have gotten a bit misty as well. They stay like this for a long moment, not wanting to let go so soon: very nearly, they wouldn't have had this. Aware what a close shave it has been once more, they keep a tight grip on one another until neither of them is trembling so badly anymore, until Steve can push the mental images which keep assailing him from time to time aside: most prominently, of Danny lying lifeless and pale before him; of Danny looking impossibly small as Junior lifted him up. 

“I love you,” Danny says when they eventually pull apart, and considering how difficult it was for him to say that at first, Steve is grateful that they have reached a point where it has become easy.

“I love you too, Danno,” he replies, keeping his hand on Danny's shoulder for a while longer.

Charlie however demands his father's attention now, so Steve lets go and goes to make some coffee instead. It's alright, he can still feel Danny's warmth, which does a lot to keep the terror away. It will take a while until they're back to normal, it usually does, and Steve is already planning ahead for when Danny will be back at work: they've got Junior on the team now, Steve is going to give him his badge during his Christmas party tomorrow, so maybe he can keep Danny out of the line of fire for a while.

Steve smiles as he hears another delighted shout from Charlie in the living room: they are getting there.

 

The End

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! I'm not a Native Speaker, therefore I apologize for any mistakes.
> 
> This is the helicopter that Charlie got from Santa Steve (and I'm rather jealous because it's so cool!):  
> https://www.amazon.com/LEGO-Heavy-Duty-Rescue-Helicopter-Building/dp/B0716T6B59/ref=sr_1_8?s=toys-and-games&ie=UTF8&qid=1525189408&sr=1-8&keywords=lego+helicopter&dpID=51H-zFCdt2L&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch#customerReviews


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